Fragrance at work?

Should You Wear Perfume to Work? Forbes contributor Leah Bourne tries to answer this question. Click here for the link.

A light aqua scent for a day at work

I am partial to floral scents and am not someone who likes scents that give off a hint of melon. A friend of ours gifted us Davidoff Cool Water Eau de Toilette (his and hers). The first time I sprayed it (hers of course) on, I was a little surprised by the smell. It was definitely not floral, neither was it overly melony. There was no sign of a lemon or even a citric tang to the scent.

I left it for a couple of months and decided to give it a try one more time. This time, I was visiting someone on a semi-formal situation. I found the fragrance an ideal companion for the occassion. It is very fresh and light. It has an ethereal quality about it which I would attribute to the aqua base. This is perfect for daily office/work wear. It does not last as long as some of the other fragrances I've reviewed earlier, but the freshness is certainily a quality that got me hooked.

I've found it a perfect gift for someone whose taste you are not too familar with especially if that someone keeps many formal appointments. It is not something I would advise for a night out with the girls, or a special date but is certainly something to wear when you want to choose something neutral to a lunch meeting or a presentation. Davidoff Cool Water (Women) is available at most department stores and online as well.

A Garden on the Nile

My friend and fellow fragrance lover suggested I try 'Jardin sur le Nil' by Hermes. A mutual friend of ours had this on and it was 'heavenly'. I was hooked, I had to try it. Is this a keeper? I went online and checked out it on the Hermes website. In all honesty, the site is not the easiest to maneuver and I could locate it faster on amazon.com. It looked delicious, and now I had to find out what it smells like. I could not find it in the local Macys, or Herbergers but I did manage to get a sample. It is a beautiful fragrance. It starts with a hint of citrus, and then becomes floral. It emits the scents of a natural garden, a floral and lemony mix. I have never been on the banks of the Nile, but I feel like I am in a garden by that river when I am wearing this. It's almost like being in a summer dress with the sun shining on me, and the breeze gently brushing my cheeks. If I were to smell the air at that moment, I imagine it would be as sweet as 'Jardin sur le Nil'.

This is a light fragrance, more suited for day wear than evening. It is a little too sweet to be worn to work, but is perfect for a day out. It is neither bold nor naughty, but very sprightly. It lasts well, and the scent maintains it's consistency.

The 'Jardin sur le Nil' is a part of the Jardin series by Hermes, and includes the smells of a garden on the roof (Jardin sur le Toit), the garden after the monsoon (Jardin après la mousson), the Meditteranean gardens (Jardin en Méditerranée). I can't wait to test these.At around 90 $ for 1.6 fl.oz, it is pricey but not outrageously expensive. The only complaint I have is it is not as easy to find in a store as a Chanel, Estee Lauder or DKNY.